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Men were expected to fight, women to produce for the war effort, and even elderly men to deliver patriotic speeches in public places. Everyone was involved in the war, whether a soldier or a civilian, regardless of whether sovereignty belonged to the people or the nation now. Furthermore, if the country gained sovereignty, it would be able to impose far stricter obligations on ordinary citizens than monarchies previously imposed. The armies led into battle by the French were the most powerful in Europe at the time. They were actively inspired by patriotic philosophy rather than passively obeying monarchs or princes as in the past.
In these new forces, advancement would be based on merit rather than aristocratic origin. Because of merit-based promotion, geniuses like Napoleon were able to rise through the ranks.
To spread their ideas, French revolutionaries invaded neighbouring kingdoms, claiming to be liberators. Their campaign slogan was “War with all monarchs, peace with all peoples!” These conquests, like Napoleon’s later victories, sparked a chain reaction of nationalist resistance to the French. Nationalist volunteers banded together in Germany, Spain, and Russia to wage guerilla warfare against their ostensible liberators, the French.
Nations’ conflicts were bloodier than kings’ wars, which foreshadowed what was to come. As a result of the influence of ideology, war was becoming more total, involving entire civilizations rather than just professional warriors. Before the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, his battles claimed the lives of approximately six million people.
‘The People’ as a Source of Power
The American and French revolutions were watershed moments in modern world history. They presented appealing ideals as well as cautionary lessons and contrasts. On one side, a model advocated for power separation in order to achieve balance. On the other hand, there was a strong desire to centralise and concentrate power. These revolutions had a significant influence on modern politics.
As they both opposed monarchs, their claims to establish people’s sovereignty were a watershed moment in the history of contemporary ideological politics. Almost all regimes since these revolutions have claimed to represent the people, whereas absolute monarchs claimed divine power. Even tyrannies claim to rule in the name of the people to appear less illegitimate.
Learn more about the politics and personalities of the American Revolution.
Ideologies of Popular Power in Modern Times
Because of this emphasis on the people as the source of authority and sovereignty, entire modern ideologies have emerged, with proponents claiming that their belief systems would best serve the people.
Karl Mark is shown sitting, his right hand tucked beneath the left lapel of his coat.
Karl Marx’s views on communism and socialism were heavily influenced by the French Revolution. (Flickr/John Jabez) (Edwin Mayal, public domain) One of these modern ideologies that emphasised economic and political individual liberty was liberalism. Nationalism, or the claim to be a member of a national group, was enormously powerful in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Karl Marx developed socialism and communism by citing the French Revolution as a significant historical event.
The Tragedy of the French Revolution
As a reaction to the French Revolution, Edmund Burke founded modern conservatism. On the other side of the political divide, the vigour and dynamism of the French Revolution served as a model for radicals interested in exploring the potential of revolution. The French Revolution established a dreadful pattern of violent uprisings followed by anarchy and despotism. When Russia’s monarch was deposed, Lenin, Stalin, and their Bolshevik comrades were able to seize power and establish their Bolshevik rule.
Conclusion:
Similarly, the German emperor was deposed between World Wars, but the German attempt at democracy was hampered by economic collapse and a lack of confidence until the Nazis took power. The repercussions of those revolutionary claims to popular sovereignty power, on the other hand, are still with us, and they continue to play out in our world’s politics.
